Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother novel Chapter 127

Chapter 127: Penny

run after him, boots crunching against the frost–bitten gravel,

“Asher,” I call. “Please slow down. Each of your steps is like the of mine

ate doesn’t answer, but his pace eases just enough for me to catch sp, the back of his goat brushing my arm. He keeps his eyes ahead, jaw sharp with

Tension

Behind me, there’s a shuffle of faster steps.

“Iony, wait,”

I tum. Tyler catches up, breath logging in the coll, looking genuinely confused.

“I don’t get it,” he says, “What did I do wrong?”

Istare at him. “Three random guys were holding me. They were threatening your brother. And you stood there. You did nothing.”

Tyler blinks, like he hadn’t even thought of it that way. “I knew Asher would handle it.”

I stare harder. “That’s the problem, Ty. He should have to handle it. Not just because people think he’s indestructible.”

Tyler Marts to

starts to speak, but I keep going.

“You could’ve just… said something. Told them you were my boyfriend. Told them just fell. It would’ve stopped everything”

He nods slowly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Yeah. Okay, I see what you’re saying.”

He glances toward Asher, who’s still walking ahead.

I watch him jog forward, so their silhouettes exchange a few short words. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but Asher nods once, barely,

Tyler comes back, shrugs, and says. “He said it’s fine. I’ll grab the others and meet you guys back at the lodge.”

I nod

Then I nun after

Jain

He’s just crossing past a quiet, snow–dusted alley that leads toward the edge of the parking lot, where the sun’s already starting to dip a little. Not quite golden hour, but the world looks hushed and softened, like it’s holding its breath.

“Asher, wall.”

I reach for him, grabbing the edge of his sleeve and then his hand.

He stop

But he doesn’t tur

“I’m so sorry,” I say softly.

will doesn’t speak.

“I tried to tell then. I really did. I should have left the bruises out like that, I should’ve put on makeup or-

1/4

Chapter 127: Penny

“Penny,” he says, wilce low, quiet.

11 keep rambling.

“I didn’t think it would be a problem. And now this what if it put you in a bad headspace or trigerted something ar-

He bors so fast I nearly kiumble barkward

This hands erme up–not rough, not hard–but firm. Dine palm presses the brick wall gently behind me, bracketing me in.

the other lands on the opposite side of my head,

And then his Borchead drops to mine.

The breath feceres in my lungs

He breathes in, sharp and long, like he’s trying to calm a storm inside him.

Onor. Trice. Three times.

And I don’t move. Not an inch.

“Stop blaming yourself,” he says, voice gravel and control. “You didn’t do anything wrong

He lifts his head just enough to meet my eyes. His paze in fire. Focused

“I anyone’s in a bad headspace, it’s because some entitled assholes thought they could get in my space and lay hand on you. Not because of you.”

My eyes sting. “They… they didn’t hurt you, right?”

He lets out a beeath that’s almost a chuckle, but “Come on, Penny. You probably punched me harder than he did.”

That makes me laugh–just a little. A breath of levity in the cold,

Then I ask, “Did you really break that guy’s fingers?”

He shrugs, barely guilty. “Two. Maybe three. He’ll be fine.”

“But you didn’t even flinch.”

“Doesn’t take a whole lot of energy to break fingers”

He reaches for me again–this time slower–and lifts the sleeve of my coat. His fingers trace lightly over the marks on my wrist

To

fine,” I say quickly. “They didn’t even squeeze that hard.”

He studies the skin, quiet. Then lowers my sleeve again

“To sorry,” I winger.

He looks up

“This probably… triggered something.” I The crowd. The shouting Being attacked. I’m so sorry.”

He exhales slowly. “I didnt trigger anything, Peny. I’m not mad because there was a fight. If you can even call it that. Drunk idiots try this stuff on mur all the time.”

Chapter 127: Penny

“But you looked… so upset.”

He’s quiet for a beat…

Then he moves forward–slowly–puts one hand on my shoulder, the other at my

and pul

ne gamt him

Not a bone–crushing hot. Not dramatic. Just….. warm. Protertive, Steady.

And in completely breaks me.

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